The most common question I see in various genealogy groups is an iteration of:
"How should I organize my files?"
Invariably, I will see someone mention they organize either by person or by family name. These methods will either use a folder for Smith Family with all Smith family documents located inside, or they might organize by person with individual folders for John Smith, Sally Smith, Susie Smith, Juan Smith, and so on with each person’s information found inside.
My biggest issue with both systems is marriages.
- What about when Sally Smith marries Don Hardy?
- Is she moved from the Smith folder to the Hardy folder?
- Where would the census for her be located?
Using a system that organizes by name, I would go to a person's folder to look for their information. But once they marry, where is the document? With the wife or husband? Now we face the question of duplicating information so we can find it for both the wife and husband. Things just get complicated this way. We do not want to take this route.
Another issue I have with these systems is the size and scalability of this format. This might work if you have just a few hundred people who share a dozen or so surnames. However, moving beyond this size, a person begins to get overwhelmed by this system.
Currently, my database holds 2,058 individuals with 462 surnames. If I were to follow the above formats, I would end up with thousands and thousands of folders to search through for the correct record I need.
Database management is tricky and there are as many schools of thought as there are people using computers. In the end, using what works for your needs is best, but also keeping in mind where the research is taking you and future needs is key for long-term success.
- Patricia
